Connecto rand set of connectors

ABSTRACT

A connector housing has an opening for pressure contacting an insulated wire to an insulation displacing terminal in a terminal accommodating chamber. A housing body has an upper wall and a lower wall one of which defines the opening. A cover is for closing the opening and is connected integrally to the housing body through a hinge. An engagement projection is fixed to an outer surface of the cover at a position opposite to the hinge. When a set of insulation-displacement connectors is joined, the engagement projection is fitted in an engagement recessed part formed on an opposing surface of a mating connector, so that the connector housing and the mating connector are joined with each other. Insulation-displacement connectors are stacked in a vertical direction and each has the engagement projection formed to the cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a connector and a set of connectorswhich is adapted to, for example, a vehicle.

[0003] 2. Description of Relevant Art

[0004] There has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenPublication No. 10-92508 a set of connectors.

[0005] The set of connectors has a type in which insulation-displacement connectors are stacked in a plurality of steps. An upperconnector housing is stacked on a lower connector housing. A covercovers an opening of an upper rear part in the upper connector housing,and all of them are integrally joined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] However, in the joined connector, an opening of a lower connectorhousing is closed by a bottom surface of an upper connector housing.There is prepared a cover for closing an opening in addition toconnector housings for stacking in a vertical direction, so that thereare a lot of parts separated each other. Flexible locking pawls forjoining is provided to both of a left and a right sides of the connectorhousing and both of a left and a right sides of the cover, and there isa problem that a size of a transverse width is enlarged.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a connectorand a set of connectors for reduction of a number of parts and forreduction of a size of a transverse width.

[0008] To achieve the object, a first aspect of the invention providesan insulation-displacement connector. A connector housing has an openingf or pressure contacting an insulated wire to an insulation displacingterminal in a terminal accommodating chamber. A housing body has anupper wall and a lower wall one of which defines the opening. A cover isfor closing the opening and is connected integrally to the housing bodythrough a hinge. An engagement projection is fixed to an outer surfaceof the cover at a position opposite to the hinge. When a set ofinsulation-displacement connectors is joined, the engagement projectionis fitted in an engagement recessed part formed on an opposing surfaceof a mating connector, so that the connector housing and the matingconnector are joined with each other.

[0009] A second aspect of the invention provides a set ofinsulation-displacement connectors. Insulation-displacement connectorsare stacked in a vertical direction and each has the engagementprojection formed to the cover. The engagement projection is fitted inthe engagement recessed part formed to the connector housing of themating insulation-displacement connector. The insulation-displacementconnectors adjacent to each other are joined.

[0010] Preferably, the engagement projection and the engagement recessedpart each are formed in an elongated shape which crosses terminalaccommodating chambers arranged in a transverse direction of a connectorhousing.

[0011] Preferably, the engagement projection and the engagement recessedpart each are arranged at a rear end of the connector housing, anotherengagement part is provided at a front end of a connector housing, andengagement parts of insulation-displacement connectors adjacent to eachother are engaged with each other, whereby join between theinsulation-displacement connectors adjacent to each other is reinforced.

[0012] A third aspect of the invention provides a cover-integratedconnector. A housing body has an accommodating chamber for a terminaland has a first wall part covering the accommodating chamber anddefining an opening for access. A cover has a distal end and a proximalend. The cover is connected to the first wall part at the proximal endthereof for pivoting. The cover is to pivot on the distal end to closethe opening. The cover has a first engagement part for locking with afirst mating connector at the distal end thereof.

[0013] Preferably, the housing body has a second wall part covering theaccommodating chamber. The second wall part is opposed to the first wallpart and has a second engagement part for locking with a second matingconnector

[0014] Preferably, the first engagement part extends in a transversedirection of the cover.

[0015] Preferably, the first wall part has a third engagement partextending in a longitudinal direction thereof for locking with the firstmating connector.

[0016] According to the inventions, in the connector, a cover isprovided integrally to a connector housing, and a number of separatedparts are reduced. An engagement projection is provided on the cover,and when the engagement projection is fitted in an engagement recessedpart of a mating connector, a set of connectors is constituted. Anengagement projection on a cover is employed for a finger mount,operations for closing and opening the cover is made easy. An engagementprojection for join is provided on an outer surface of the cover, andthough lock parts are provided on right and left side parts, theengagement projection is arranged not to contact with the lock parts.Therefore, an excess engagement means does not need to be provided atleft and right side parts of a connector housing, and a transverse sizeof a connector is to be reduced.

[0017] An engagement projection and an engagement recessed part each areformed in an elongated shape, and joining force of the engagementprojection and the engagement recessed part is applied to a wide rangein a transverse direction of connector housings.

[0018] In a set of connectors, engagement parts at front ends ofconnector housings in addition to engagement parts at rear ends joinconnector housings to each other, and a firmly joining state throughconnector housings is maintained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0019] These and other features, aspects, and advantage of the presentinvention will become better under stood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of insulation- displacement typeconnectors of an embodiment according to the invention, which shows astate prior to join if a set of connectors is constituted;

[0021]FIG. 2A is a side view of an insulation- displacement connectorused by a single;

[0022]FIG. 2B is a side view of a set of connectors which is constitutedof insulation-displacement connectors stacked in three steps;

[0023]FIG. 3A is a side view of a portion arrowed by X in FIG. 2B;

[0024]FIG. 3B is an enlarged side view of a portion arrowed by Y in FIG.2B; and

[0025]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of insulation-displacement typeconnectors of another embodiment according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] An embodiment of the invention will be explained with referenceto drawings.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state before insulation-displacement connectors 11, 12 to be fitted to each other to configurea set of connectors 10 are fitted to each other.

[0028] The a set of connectors 10 comprises two insulation-displacementconnectors 11, 12 stacked one above another and connected to each otherone, wires W being drawn out from the rear end of connector housings11A, 12A of the insulation-displacement connectors made of syntheticresin. The connector housings 11 A, 12A of the respective insulation-displacement connectors 11, 12 comprise housing bodies 13, 15 andcovers 14, 16 for closing lower face openings of the housing bodies 13,15 (the lower faces are turned up when the wires are pressurecontacted). The lower face openings are provided in order to performworking for pressure contacting the wires W to insulation-displacementterminals (not shown) which have been accommodated in terminalaccommodating chambers 21 of the housing bodies 13, 15, and they areprovided at rear half parts of the lower face walls of the housingbodies 13, 15.

[0029] The covers 14, 16 are for closing the openings after the wires Ware pressed to the insulation-displacement terminals (not shown) to becontacted with, and they are connected integrally to the housing bodies13, 15 through hinges 31. The hinges 31 are disposed between the frontends of the covers 14, 16 positioned when the openings have been closedand lower face walls of the front sides of the lower openings of thehousing bodies 13, 15.

[0030] Locking parts 28 engaged with locking parts of the housing bodies13, 15 are provided at front end left and right side parts of the covers14, 16, and they can lock the covers 14, 16 in a state where theopenings of the housing bodies 13, 15 have been closed.

[0031] Also, engagement projections 26 are respectively provided onouter faces (faces are positioned outside when the openings are closed)at front ends (which are positioned at rear ends when the openings areclosed) of the covers 14, 16 of the respective insulation-displacementconnectors 11, 12, and an engagement recessed part 27 engaged with theengagement projection 26 is provided at a rear end upper face of theinsulation-displacement connector 11 which is a lower stage. Each of theengagement projection 26 and the engagement recessed part 27 is formedin an elongated shape extending over a plurality of terminalaccommodating chambers 21 arranged in a transverse direction of each ofthe connector housings 11A, 12A.

[0032]FIG. 2A is a side view in a case where an upper connector 12 isused in a single manner, and FIG. 2B is a side view of an assembledconnector in a case where an upper stage insulation-displacementconnector 12 are connected with two lower stage insulation- displacementconnectors 11 in a stacking manner.

[0033] Engagement parts 24, 25 of a recessed and projection type whichare fitted to each other by pushing them in upward and downwarddirections are provided on opposed faces of front parts of the connectorhousings 11A, 12A to be stacked one above another. The engagement parts24, 25 are structured as a dovetail joint. As shown in FIG. 3B, oneengagement part 24 is formed in a “tenon” shape, and the otherengagement part is formed in a “mortise” shape. The former “tenon” shapeengagement part 24 is formed on the lower faces of the housing bodies13, 15 constituting the upper stage side connector housings 12A, 11A,and the latter “mortise” shape engagement part 25 is formed on the upperface of the housing body 15 constituting the lower stage side connectorhousing 11A.

[0034] In this case, the engagement parts 24, 25 of the dovetail jointare arranged a plurality of sets at intervals in transverse directionsof the connector housings 11A, 12A. The upper and lowerinsulation-displacement connectors 12, 11 can be positioned in thetransverse directions thereof by these engagement parts 24, 15.

[0035] Also, the engagement projection 26 and the engagement recessedpart 27 are constituted as a dovetail joint, as shown in FIG. 3A. Inthis case, slant surfaces 26 a, 27 a are provided on both ends, in thelongitudinal direction, of the engagement projection part 26 of anelongated shape and the engagement recessed position 27.

[0036] Incidentally, the upper stage insulation-displacement connector12 is always positioned at an upper stage, and the connector has on anupper face 12A a lock arm 17 which is locked with a lock arm of a matingconnector when the connector 12 is fitted to the mating connector.

[0037] Next, an assembling procedure will be explained.

[0038] When the set of connectors 10 is assembled, first the individualinsulation-displacement connectors 11, 12 are assembled and completedprior to the joined. That is, the insulation displacing terminals areset in the terminal accommodating chambers 21 of the connector housings11A, 12A of the respective insulation-displacement connectors 11, 12,and wires are pressure contacted to respective insulation-displacementterminals through the openings. Next, the openings of the housing bodies13, 15 are closed by the covers 14, 16 and the covers 14, 16 and thehousing bodies 13, 15 are locked to each other by the locking parts 28,29, so that the individual insulation-displacement connectors 11, 12 arecompleted in a single manner. When the covers 14, 16 are operated, theengagement projections 26 provided on the front end outer faces of thecovers 14, 15 can be utilized as a finger mount so that closingoperation of the covers 14, 16 can be easily performed. Incidentally,the engagement projection part 26 serves as a finger mount when theconnector is fitted to or released from a mating connector, so that suchan operation as fitting of a mating connector or the like is made easy.

[0039] Next, the upper stage insulation-displacement connector 12 isdisposed on the lower stage insulation-displacement connector 11, andthe upper stage insulation-displacement connector 12 is placed on theupper face of the lower stage insulation-displacement connector 11 whilethe engagement projection part 26 provided on the cover 14 of the upperstage insulation-displacement connector 12 is being fitting to theengagement recessed part 27 of the rear end upper face of the lowerstage insulation-displacement connector 11. Then, the engagement part 24of the “tenon” shape on the front part lower face of the upper stageconnector housing 12A is engaged with the engagement part of the“mortise” shape of the lower stage of the connector housing 11A bypushing down the upper stage insulation- displacement connector 12strongly. Thereby, the set of connectors 10 of two stages can becompleted.

[0040] In the set of connectors 10 thus structured, since each of thecovers 14, 16 are provided integrally for each of the connector housing11A, 12A, the number of parts separated can be reduced. Also, since theengagement part 26 for join is provided on the outer face of each of thecovers 14, 16, it does not obstruct the covers 14, 16 provided on theleft and right side parts of the connector housings 11A, 12A and thelock parts 28, 29 of the housing bodies 13, 15, so that the size oftransverse width of the each of the insulation-displacement connectorscan be reduced. Also, since the engagement projection part 26 and theengagement recessed part 27 each are formed in an elongated so as toextend over the plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 21, thejoining force between the engagement projection part 26 and theengagement recessed part 27 can be applied to a wide range of theconnector housings 11A, 12A in the transverse directions.

[0041] Incidentally, the upper stage insulation-displacement connector12 constituting the set of connectors 10 can be used in a single manner,as shown in FIG. 2A. Also, as shown in FIG. 2B, the lower stageinsulation-displacement connector 11 is attached under it with anotherlower stage insulation-displacement connector 11 so that a set ofconnectors of three or more stages can be easily structured.

[0042]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment. An engagement recessed parts 32are respectively provided on outer faces at front ends of the covers 14,16. An engagement projection 33 to be engaged with the engagementprojection 26 is provided at a rear end upper face of theinsulation-displacement connector 11.

[0043] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed using specific terms, such description is for illustrativepurposes, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may bemade without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An insulation-displacement connector comprising:a connector housing having an opening for pressure contacting aninsulated wire to an insulation displacing terminal in a terminalaccommodating chamber, the connector housing comprising: a housing bodyhaving an upper wall and a lower wall one of which defines the opening;and a cover for closing the opening, the cover being connectedintegrally to the housing body through a hinge; and an engagementprojection fixed to an outer surface of the cover at a position oppositeto the hinge, wherein when a set of connectors is joined, the engagementprojection is fitted in an engagement recessed part formed on anopposing surface of a mating connector, so that the connector housingand the mating connector are joined with each other.
 2. A set ofinsulation-displacement connectors of claim 1 , comprising:insulation-displacement connectors stacked in a vertical direction, theinsulation-displacement connectors each having the engagement projectionformed to the cover, the engagement projection being fitted in theengagement recessed part formed to the connector housing of the matinginsulation- displacement connector, whereby the insulation-displacementconnectors adjacent to each other are joined.
 3. A set ofinsulation-displacement connectors according to claim 2 , wherein theengagement projection and the engagement recessed part each are formedin an elongated shape which crosses terminal accommodating chambersarranged in a transverse direction of a connector housing.
 4. A set ofinsulation-displacement connectors according to claim 2 wherein theengagement projection and the engagement recessed part each are arrangedat a rear end of a connector housing, another engagement part isprovided at a front end of the connector housing and engagement parts ofinsulation-displacement connectors adjacent to each other are engagedwith each other, whereby join between the insulation-displacementconnectors adjacent to each other is reinforced.
 5. A set ofinsulation-displacement connectors according to the claim 3 , whereinthe engagement projection and the engagement recessed part each arearranged at a rear end of the connector housing, another engagement partis provided at a front end of the connector housing, and engagementparts of insulation-displacement connectors adjacent to each other areengaged with each other, whereby join between theinsulation-displacement connectors adjacent to each other is reinforced.6. A cover-integrated connector comprising: a housing body having anaccommodating chamber for a terminal, the housing body having a firstwall part covering the accommodating chamber and defining an opening foraccess; and a cover having a distal end and a proximal end, the coverbeing connected to the first wall part at the proximal end thereof forpivoting, the cover to pivot on the distal end to close the opening, thecover has a first engagement part for locking with a first matingconnector at the distal end thereof.
 7. A cover-integrated connectoraccording to claim 6 , wherein the housing body has a second wall partcovering the accommodating chamber, and the second wall part is opposedto the first wall part and has a second engagement part for locking witha second mating connector.
 8. A cover-integrated connector according toclaim 6 , wherein the first engagement part extends in a transversedirection of the cover.
 9. A cover-integrated connector according toclaim 6 , wherein the first wall part has a third engagement partextending in a longitudinal direction thereof for locking with the firstmating connector.